I've been a moderate to low carber for more than a decade. I got quite a bit of weight off more than 8 years ago, got about half way to goal, but had some major life events and got derailed.

Fast forward to now, I have made various efforts to lose weight over the years, but not been concerted until January.

I am doing high fat with induction level carbs and am having less success than I did last year when I wasn't trying.

I suspect that over the years my metabolism has adjusted and it's harder for me to lose weight, but I never found it was easy to be honest.

So 3 months in and I have lost 10lb. I stall for weeks then will lose 2-3 in one go, then back to stalling, or even gaining.

I gave up dairy a few weeks ago as it was affecting my arthritis, so am using coconut oil, cocoa butter, beef dripping and olive oil.

I am only eating meat fish eggs and veg, with coconut yoghurt now and then. No nuts, no off plan foods at all. I don't drink alcohol.

I am getting quite demoralised. I need to be stricter but how? Would intermittent fasting or a fat fast help?

Do you log your food intake?
Its really beneficial to have the data to hand when you want to analyse whats going wrong.
I use myplan right here in ALC, but there are plenty of others around.

I am logging every couple of days - using myplan. I do find I have to be careful not to let carbs and protein creep up.

I probably do need to log every day though.

For me, I need to walk 30 min. a day and count all my calories and keep it around 1200-1300 to get out of the plateau. I ate 20 carbs a day for 10 months and lost 30 lbs, but for the last 2 months just maintained. So I asked my doctor what I needed to do and that was what she said. She said low carb is best for losing weight and to eat a Greek yogurt (protein!) and an apple every day, stay away from processed foods, and get outside. She said to expect to lose a pound a week. I watch My 660 lb. Life and that seems to be what the bariatric doctor tells his patients to do, too. Don't expect the same results you had back in the day. There is a web site you can use to record and plan your exercise and food, myfitnesspal.com . I plan a day ahead of time and it helps a lot. I wish you success and good strides out of your rut. My doctor, by the way, did not recommend high fat to me, just high protein. Just a personal note from a calorie-counter!

I'd encourage you to log your food. I bet you'll be surprised how many carbs your actually eating. Also, you need to watch the calories. I'm almost close to fifty. I've got to be around 1200 calories and less than 30 carbs to lose weight. BTW, I think your weight loss is pretty good.

I remember George Stella pouring lots of fats off meats...said, just because you CAN have it doesn't mean you HAVE TO have it.

I agree ^^ 3 pounds/month is just under a pound a week! It's really good! Most "experts" say 1-2 pounds a week is ideal to keep it off.

For your goal (about 50 pounds), you will, at this rate, be half way to goal by September and you will be 165 in less than a year! By March of next year, in fact!

I agree with other posters, maybe walk some more...but I wouldn't radically change anything. If the scale is giving you a loss each month, you ARE ROCKIN' IT!!!!

Yay you!

I just wanted to put an encouraging word in and say that when I started back in January I was at 187. Right now I'm at 169 so I'm down 18 pounds in about 3 months which isn't bad. BUT, at the last week of March I was still weighing in daily at 175/176. And then all of a sudden - WHOOSH! Here are my first of the month numbers Jan/Feb/March/Apr: 187/180/176/169

I think for me to be successful (and maybe you too) I have to believe that I'm losing fat even if it's not immediately showing on the scale or measuring tape. Right now I seem to be in another holding pattern of 169 to 171. I'm not eating a lot. I'm staying on plan. I believe I'm losing fat even if I'm not right now seeing the results of it. It seems I need to be patient. In the meantime, I'll enjoy less joint pain, less headaches, and better sleep. And none of that "hangry" gotta eat gotta eat feeling.

I think you might just relax, and enjoy following the LC lifestyle. Sometimes we all get wound up in our goals and results. Disappointed expectations are a common cause for dropping out--and missing out on the long-term health benefits.

Dr. Fung over on DietDoctor.com has an extensive video course on Intermittent Fasting. Essentially it seems to be a convenient way of eating less. Many people report satisfying weight loss. The only way for you to know if it "works" for you is to try it. Let us know!

Best wishes.

Hate to say it but high fat is high calories. Some people can't do high fat. You might do better low carb and moderate fat like Atkins

Right. I think it's a bit misleading to describe Atkins or even LCHF as "high fat." It may be high fat in comparison to the low-calorie standard. But it simply means "eat the fat that comes with the real food." You don't have to "force feed" extra fat.

Bacon, mayo, meats with the natural fat on them (most meats these days are bred and butchered to be quite lean!), olive oil, avocado, butter, cream. These are sources of fat that create satiety and supply nutrition. All you need.

Best wishes.

I've been eating the Atkins way since the first book came out in 1972. Had lots of success, but, like most, I've not stuck to the plan every day.

Up until 2015 I was stuck for the previous 6 years. Six years OP most of the time without losing. My cholesterol was up and I wasn't doing well at all. GERD was terrible and my weight was creeping upward.

I re-committed, came to this forum, started walking every day. I studied Dr Fung's protocol and decided to try IF. My plateau broke! (I'm almost 72, so weight loss is slow for me anyway.)

In Spring last year I got a terrible outbreak of allergic dermatitis on my face and neck which forced me to give up food groups to track the allergies. (I have environmental AND food allergies.) Giving up cow's milk dairy, eggs and nuts have led me to a new low weight and I've almost gotten rid of all the dermatitis.

It IS demoralizing. It is hard to keep on Every. Damned. Day.

For me, my good health and well being is the most important thing I can do for myself.

I'll throw in a "yes, but" here on the "high fat is high calories" thing. My n=1 experience is that while reducing fat might cause me to lose weight, keeping calories the same but replacing some of the protein with fat in no way prevents my weight loss, and results in reduced appetite/cravings/binges at a given bodyweight and calorie intake. I wouldn't want to do it without a food scale, though--if I'm trying to not to exceed my protein requirement by too much too often, it's just as important to not fall short too often, either.

I eat fewer calories on HFLC since I am not hungry and only eat two meals a day and can lose or maintain my weight effortlessly, which was never the case during my previous 35 years of low-fat calorie-counting.

My history is similar to yours, bluesinger. In addition to all the health improvements, I also focus on the lack of hunger and lots of free time to live life instead of thinking/worrying about food 24/7.

I'm 60 and I am having sudden intolerances now. I can't tolerate black pepper, or hot pepper anymore, eyes are drying up, sinus is flaring up. I have an intolerance to dairy now, gives me stomach pain. My BP started going up but I manage it with exercise, lecithin, and low salt. I think my weight is the biggest problem. 50 lbs overweight. working on it.